Mounting anxieties led 60 percent of poll respondents to report that they're feeling angry and irritable, 53 percent reported feeling fatigued and 52 percent said they lie awake at night.

CNN: Study: 8 out of 10 Americans stressed because of economy

The Italian election, in contrast, is taking place after a two-week opinion poll blackout, amid mounting investor anxiety that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and maverick outsider Beppe Grillo, leader of the Five Star Movement, may make a strong showing.

WSJ: Post-Election Inaction Could Reawaken Crisis